Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid has been cleared to play Monday against Ottawa, despite receiving nearly 25 stitches to close a wound in his neck Saturday night.
McQuaid's was injured when the skate of New Jersey's David Backes sliced open his neck.
"Initially when I didn't see any blood I figured that I was OK," McQuaid said. "They didn't blow the whistle and [play] was still going on in an obviously important part of the game. I was pretty helpless without my stick, but I was just trying to be a body getting in the way.